IMPORTANT NOTICE: New Safety Measures

DELAWARE VETERINARY GROUP

IMPORTANT NOTICE

23rd March 2020

To all our Valued Customers,

Due to the escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom and following the government’s isolation policy for the next 3 weeks, we have been instructed by our own professional bodies British Veterinary Association (BVA) and Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to minimise contact with our clients unless absolutely necessary and to follow the stringent guidelines listed below with immediate effect.

This is for the protection of the health our staff to enable them to continue providing an emergency and critical care service, for our patients, and to protect the health of our clients and the wider general public.

Small Animal Department:

Consultations & Operations:

The vets will only physically be seeing emergencies and seriously ill animals

Routine consultations such as booster vaccinations, nail clips and weight checks will be deferred.

Routine operations such as neuterings and dental descale and polishes will be deferred.

Offer telemedicine calls to discuss cases with less serious symptoms.

Repeat Prescriptions:

We will continue to provide prescription medicines and diets as appropriate.

Medicine healthcare reviews may be made by a phone call wherever possible but there may be occasions where patients will need to be seen at the Practice.

Stock-piling of medicines will be prohibited and the drugs will be dispensed in the normal quantities prior to the pandemic.

We would prefer medicines were paid for upfront over the phone wherever possible to reduce the time spent at reception.

For the collection of medicines outside practice hours, please speak to a member of the practice staff in the first instance.

Staffing Levels:

To reduce the number of staff in the practice building at any one time, we have divided our clinical teams into two, with a team of vets, nurses and receptionists working together for one week before the other team takes over for the next week.

Our out of hour’s emergency services operating out our Castle Cary site as usual.

Many of our administrative staff will be working from home whenever possible.

Surgery Times and Appointments:

We will be making some adjustments to our surgery hours depending on workload. It is likely that our evening surgery times will end at 5.30 pm.

The facility to book an appointment online has been removed for the foreseeable future.

At the time of contacting the practice, you will be asked if you have had any respiratory symptoms, been in contact with a person in the last 14 days that may have had coronavirus type symptoms. You should also volunteer if any underlying medical condition or anything that may make you vulnerable by visiting the practice.

Procedure on Arrival at the Practice:

Ring the doorbell outside the main entrance and a receptionist will meet you at the front door to attend to you as soon as possible.

Please stay in the car with your pet until the vet comes out to meet you, and should you wish to stand in the car park please keep at least 2 metres distance from anyone else.

Should you enter the practice premises, you will be asked to wash your hands thoroughly with soap for at least 20 seconds using the facilities provided.

Only one person should accompany their pet into the practice premises.

There may occasions when the vet or nurse will take your pet into the practice for examination and treatment whilst you wait outside.

Payment will be made using cards whenever possible.

House Visits:

House visits will be actively discouraged unless judged an absolute necessity by the veterinary team due to the burden on available staff resources and the associated contact risks.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the implementation of these controlled measures but these are very difficult times. However, the consequence of any of our staff members contracting coronavirus would lead closure of the Practice for at least 2 weeks.

Please take care and look after yourselves during this difficult time.